It is no exaggeration to call Iceland the land of volcanoes. In the small territory of this island state you can easily count more than a hundred volcanoes! Many of them are active. We invite you to learn more about Iceland's most famous volcanoes and their eruptions.

The geography of the island determined the character of its landscape. In fact, Iceland is a volcanic plateau whose height above sea level does not exceed 2000 meters. That is why there are so many thermal springs, real lava fields, glaciers and volcanoes.

Volcanoes and deserts occupy the entire central part of the island, so a large area of ​​Iceland is uninhabitable. Iceland's population occupies the valleys and coastal zones island, which is located on the border of two lithospheric plates - North American and Eurasian. Here is recorded one of the most high levels volcanic activity. Out of a hundred Icelandic volcanoes, 25, that is, a full quarter, have been active during the last thousand years. Below we will talk about the most popular of them.

Hekla Volcano is the hallmark of Iceland, so everyone knows its name. This is the same symbol of the country as the Japanese Fuji. Researchers of the volcano and its ash have found that it has been active for the last 6,000 years, that is, a very long period. The last eruption of Hekla was recorded 8 years ago - in 2000. This is one of the most significant Icelandic volcanoes - the height of Hekla is almost one and a half kilometers - 1488 meters. Due to the fog and clouds, the peak of the volcano resembles the hooded head of a monk - it is precisely because of the resemblance to the traditional Icelandic outfit “hekla” that the volcano got its name.

A characteristic feature of this volcano is its unpredictability, which significantly complicates the formation of reliable forecasts about its future activity. Some Hekla eruptions last no more than two weeks, while others can last for many months. For example, the longest eruption of this Icelandic volcano lasted from March 1947 to April 1948. The only definite conclusion that scientists have made so far is that a longer period of calm for the volcano gives rise to a much longer and more violent eruption.

The most powerful, five-magnitude eruptions of Hekla were recorded BC in 950 and 1159, when fragments of volcanic rocks scattered over a distance of up to 7.3 kilometers. The consequence of such strong eruptions was a volcanic winter - a significant decrease in the temperature of the northern hemisphere for years. The force of Hekla's eruptions later gave rise to its fame as one of the three entrances to hell, along with Vesuvius.

In total, since 874, there have been more than 20 eruptions of this volcano! Taking into account the low predictability of outbreaks of activity, Hekla is considered a very dangerous natural object.

Today, the Icelandic Population Protection Department is again talking about the possible awakening of Hekla based on the movement of air masses. Therefore, tourists and local residents are strongly advised not to stay near the volcano. Although in its “quiet” times, Hekla is a real magnet for tourists from all over the world.

Location: Sydurland region, Iceland, the nearest town is Selfoss.

Laki is a powerful shield-type volcano (most of the local volcanoes belong to it).

It is notorious far beyond the borders of Iceland for its catastrophic eruption, which caused numerous casualties and had a huge impact on the entire Northern Hemisphere as a whole. In 1783, the volcano “came to life” and for many months poisoned the atmosphere with poisonous gases. All eight months of the Laki eruption were accompanied by explosions and lava flows. The craters and cracks of the volcano, covering an area of ​​about 23 square kilometers, have been emitting basalt rock all this time. Out of a maximum of 8 points on a scale assessing the explosiveness of the volcano, it was given a 6-point rating.

This volcano ejected 14.7 cubic kilometers of lava during the eruption. This huge amount would easily be enough to flood a large city. The power of the Laki eruption in 1783–1784 was equal to the eruptions of Krakatoa and Tambora, the most powerful active volcanoes. Laki’s “treachery” was a long-lasting eruption that slowly poisoned the air for many kilometers around.

Scientists have determined that the eruption of Laki Volcano in 1783 began with a series of earthquakes, likely starting several weeks before the first eruption. It is tremors that often trigger the start of an eruption. Earthquakes, one after another, “opened” cracks on the surface of the volcano, from which ash burst out and entire lava fountains rose. The height of the ash emission could reach 15 kilometers! Because of the sheer speed at which the lava erupted—up to 8,600 cubic meters per second—the eruption of Laki Volcano is often compared to the basalt flood in Siberia that occurred millions of years ago.

The volcano began to operate in June and poured out about 90% of its lava in the first five months. Some of the lava flows unhindered traveled a distance of up to 35 kilometers in 1-2 days. The total length of the lava flow exceeded 130 kilometers. The situation was aggravated by the simultaneous eruption of the Grimsvötn volcano located near Laki. During the entire period of the “double” eruption, 8 tons of carbon fluoride and about 122 million tons of sulfur dioxide entered the atmosphere, the consequences of which were disastrous for many countries.

The victims of the terrible disaster were primarily the Icelanders themselves. About 10,000 people (22% of the country's total population) died from hunger and disease caused by the consequences of the eruption. Livestock was literally destroyed - about 60% of the local livestock also died. Acid rain and toxic fogs caused by sulfur dioxide destroyed vegetation, including vast areas of agricultural crops. In Iceland this sad period became known as the "Disasters in the Fog".

The consequences of the disaster were quickly felt by Europe, and later even by China. Cooling in the Northern Hemisphere caused widespread crop failures and famine in many European countries. This eruption of Laki is recognized as the largest in terms of the amount of lava erupted and one of the most catastrophic in terms of consequences over the last millennium.

Location: Skaftafell Nature Park, Iceland.

Travel to the Volcanoes of Iceland in 2019:

( 1 ) - Attention! Prices are indicated with a 10% discount, valid for full payment of the tour no later than 4 months before the trip.

Katla is another famous Icelandic volcano that erupts every 40 to 80 years. The next awakening of this volcano was noted in 2011. Then an earthquake occurred in the caldera (basin) of the volcano, and the magma began to move.

The power of the Katla volcano significantly exceeds the power of the neighboring Eyjafjallajokull, although the latter, when it erupted in 2010, almost completely paralyzed aviation over European territory. Therefore, a full awakening of Katla is fraught with much more serious consequences than problems with air traffic. The biggest problems when Katla awakens will be caused by the melting of the glacier, the waters of which can flood vast areas.

Part of the top of the volcano is covered by the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, together with the Eldjau Canyon they form the Katla volcano system, which extends 595 square kilometers. The volcano’s caldera is “wrapped” by a thick layer of ice.

In the period from 930 to 1918, this volcano became active 16 times. On the explosiveness scale, most of these eruptions had a VEI index of at least 4-6 points, with a maximum of 8 points. To date, Katla has not erupted for 100 years - since 1918, no activity has been recorded on the volcano.

By the way, it was Katla that erupted for many years, starting in 934. Then the volcano poured out so much lava that it could easily cover the entire island of Manhattan with a layer whose thickness would be ... 275 meters.

Katla is believed to be responsible for the ash layer found in cores from Scotland, Denmark and the North Atlantic. The last recorded eruption of this volcano lasted no less than 24 days; then, in 1918, the eruption allowed the coast of Iceland to increase by as much as 5000 meters. A minor eruption in more modern times was noted in 2011.

Despite the long period of calm, Katla has been showing signs of life for about 19 years. Scientists believe that her concern is due to the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which is located nearby. This point of view is completely justified - after all, three times already the activity of a volcano with an unpronounceable name has become a trigger for the Katla eruption. Volcanic activity in the Katla crater and magma mobility have been observed since 2010.

Interestingly, Katla is a very popular option female name, used by the islanders. Probably, humorous Icelanders simply ignore the connection between name and character. It sounds beautiful!

Location: North of the village of Vik, southern Iceland.

Askja is a so-called stratovolcano - a volcano consisting of many layers of hardened ash and lava, having a conical shape. Askya was born about 10,000 years ago. The volcano rises above sea level to a height of 1510 meters.

Lake Eskjuvaten

Due to the powerful eruption of Askja, which occurred in 1875, the crater crater itself was formed due to the collapse of the top of the volcano under the influence of lava and ash coming to the surface. Afterwards, a lake appeared in the water-filled crater, which can still be seen there. The lake was named Oskjuvatn. Today it has the maximum depth in Iceland - it is 220 meters. The lake is hidden by rocks and only in the east can you get closer to it and even plunge into the cool bluish water.

In 1907, an expedition was undertaken to Askew, which ended tragically. Presumably, its participants drowned in the waters of Lake Eskvaten. The expedition was led by Walter von Knebel; it was he and the artist Max Rudolf who died, or rather disappeared, on July 10, 1907. Subsequently, Knebel's fiancee made an attempt to find him here, which, however, was unsuccessful. Monuments in honor of scientists have been erected on both sides of the Viti crater.

Lake Viti

Askja’s second unique creation is the hot lake Viti. This depression, north of Lake Eskjuvaten, was also formed during the 1875 eruption. Viti is a caldera - a pit of volcanic origin. The water that accumulates here forms a lake. Milky - blue tint The water remains warm at any time of the year - its temperature does not fall below 20 degrees. And this is in winter! In the warm season, the water temperature ranges from 36 to 43 degrees. A very specific hydrogen sulfide smell emanates from the water. By the way, the descent to the lake is quite dangerous due to the steep clay banks, which become very slippery in wet weather.

The Askja volcano itself amazes researchers and travelers with its scale and regular round shape. Located in the center of a gently sloping lava plateau, the volcano seems especially huge. Brave travelers can take a hike along the perimeter of the crater - this is an 8-kilometer journey, and not the easiest one - the weather here often changes, and with strong winds, a walk along the steep slopes of the crater turns into a dangerous adventure, which is not recommended at all.

Askja is an active volcano - the depth of the lake in the crater continues to grow and the volcano erupted back in 1961.

The Askja volcano is located on the Odadahraun lava plateau (territory of the Vatnajökull National Park).

The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull gained worldwide popularity due to its eruption in 2010. Despite the 8 years that have passed since the eruption, the name of this volcano remains on everyone’s lips to this day. Since 2010, this volcano has become the most discussed and visited natural attraction in Iceland.

The compound name of the volcano is essentially a combination of the words island, glacier and mountain. Which is quite true - the volcano is located on the territory of a glacier, the total area of ​​which is 100 square kilometers. The size of the crater is about 4 square kilometers.

For most people, pronouncing the name of a volcano the first time is not an easy task. To make things easier for tourists, the volcano was given a second, abbreviated name – Eyjafjöll. Comfortable!

Volcanic eruptions, according to research, did not occur very often - in 920, 1612 (or 1613) and the largest, which occurred from the end of 1821 to the beginning of 1822. During the period of eruptions, there was a powerful release of tephra - a variety of matter ejected by volcanoes. Also, the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull awakened the activity of Katla, a much more powerful volcano located 25 kilometers away.

For two hundred years the volcano “rested” after a long eruption in 1821-1822, but in March 2010 the volcano woke up again to make itself known.

The latest volcanic eruption started by throwing a column of ash and smoke into the air. They were followed by powerful eruptions of lava. The starting point of the eruption was an earthquake recorded at 22.30 on March 20, 2010 at a depth of about 10,000 meters. About half an hour after the start of seismic activity, a lava cloud was discovered erupting from a fissure located between the Katla and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes.

However, until April the volcano's activity was not too high. Starting from April 14, ash emissions become more powerful and provoke the cessation of air traffic over Europe for the period from April 16 to 20 and partly in May. The strength of the eruption was estimated at 4 points on the VEI scale.

Today the volcano attracts many tourists from all over the world. And his popularity doesn’t even think of declining! Tours are offered at the eruption site, and there is also a museum dedicated to the volcano. Part of the bed of the lava flow during the eruption passed through private territory - it was its owners who decided to turn this place into a tourist center. Here you can walk through the area where lava flowed and watch a film about the volcano in the museum, which more fully depicts the consequences of its 2010 eruption.

The location of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is 125 kilometers east of Reykjavik. The nearest village is Skougar. The Skaugau Arm originates from the glacier and is home to the famous Skogafoss waterfall.

In general, there are so many volcanoes in Iceland that it is simply not possible to talk about them all in one article. Each of them is a unique natural phenomenon - beautiful, and at the same time, dangerous.

And we are going to. You have every chance to see the majestic volcanoes of this island with your own eyes! Join us! It will be interesting.

In the spring of 2010, the whole world watched the powerful eruption of an Icelandic volcano with the unusual and fabulous name Eyjafjallajokull. It has become one of the most powerful modern history humanity, scientists are still discussing the consequences of this natural phenomenon.

Iceland

This island state is often called the ice kingdom; it is located between Greenland and Norway in close proximity to the Arctic Circle. The bulk of Iceland lies on a volcanic plateau, so earthquakes and eruptions are common here. Despite geographical position, the climate in the region is by no means arctic, but moderately cool, with strong winds and high humidity.

Despite the harsh nature, very positive and friendly people live here. Icelandic hospitality is known throughout the world. Every year thousands of tourists come to these harsh lands to get acquainted with the unique nature and, of course, see the most famous volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajokull. After 2010, the flow of people wishing to witness this wonder of the world with their own eyes has increased noticeably.

Historical reference

Iceland is located at the junction of two continental plates, the Eurasian and North American, and is considered the country with the largest number of geothermal springs, lava fields, ice and volcanoes. There are more than a hundred of them, and twenty-five are active. The most popular volcanoes among tourists are Laki and Hekla; they have almost a hundred craters and present a unique spectacle.

But in 2010, the whole world learned about another attraction of Iceland - the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Photos of lava erupting from under the glacier spread all over the world news feeds; perhaps this event was not so popular in the media mass media, if not for the problems with air travel that arose in most of Europe.

Eyjafjallajökull is a stratovolcano whose cone is formed by layers of hardened lava and rock left behind after numerous eruptions. Officially, this is not a volcano, but a glacier, the sixth largest on the island, located 125 kilometers from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. The height of the peak is 1666 m, the area of ​​the volcanic crater is 3-4 km, until 2010 it was hidden under a thick layer of ice. The previous eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano occurred from 1821 to 1823, and for two hundred years it was considered dormant.

Preceding circumstances

Almost a year before the main events, the glacier was already showing signs of high activity. In 2009, at a depth of seven kilometers, scientists noticed seismological tremors of 1-2 magnitude. They continued for several months, and even a shift of the cortex of 3 cm was recorded.

The activity of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano worried the authorities in the region, they took the necessary measures to resettle local residents, and the nearest airport was closed. People were primarily afraid of flooding, since the glacier could begin to melt under the influence of the earth's heat.

Scientists have been monitoring activity in this area for a long time, so casualties were avoided. In total, more than 800 people left the disaster zone. After the investigation, the possibility of flooding was ruled out and some residents returned to their homes.

Chronicle of events

On March 20, 2010, in the late evening, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano began to erupt. Smoke and ash poured out from a fissure that appeared in the glacier; the first emissions were small and did not reach a height of more than one kilometer. After five days, activity decreased significantly. The reason was that melted water poured into the crater and partially extinguished the fire.

But on March 31, a new crack formed, and for several days lava flowed abundantly from two holes at once. As it turned out, this was just the beginning. On April 13, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull was once again shaken by tremors, as a result of which a new crack appeared at a distance of 2 km, and a column of smoke rose to a height of eight kilometers. On the fifteenth and sixteenth of April, this figure was already 15 km, and volcanic ash reached the stratosphere, from where the substances are already spreading over long distances.

Closure of air traffic in Europe

The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull will go down in 21st century history thanks to the massive consequences of its eruption. Due to its activity, air traffic in dozens of countries was suspended. Companies suffered losses, thousands of passengers huddled in air terminals and in the homes of caring people.

Events in Iceland had a major impact on the revision of some laws and regulations governing air travel in such situations. Many companies said that the computer program that calculates the risks of flying in the ash zone is questionable, and they also accused the heads of European countries of deliberately exaggerating the problem and being helpless when making important decisions.

Consequences

In addition to economic damage, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland caused serious damage environment. In the first three days, about 140 million cubic meters of dust were released into the atmosphere. When an eruption occurs, along with particles of earth rocks, ash and ash are released into the air, a huge amount of suspended particles or aerosols are released. The danger of such a substance is that it quickly spreads over long distances and has a detrimental effect on the composition of the atmosphere, absorbing part of the solar radiation.

Although geophysicists and meteorologists did not support the general panic that flared up on the pages of some newspapers. According to scientists, the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull was not so powerful that the emissions could somehow lead to climate change, or at most affect the weather. Thus, long and thick clouds were observed many thousands of kilometers from the island, even in Russia.

Ash Spread

The progress of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption was recorded from space, and daily meteorological services forecast the movement of the dust cloud. In mid-April 2010, ash covered more than half of Europe and some regions of Russia. Officially, Roshydrometcenter has not confirmed the assumption that particles of dust and volcanic matter have reached the territory of our country. True, eyewitnesses claim that the ashes could be easily detected with a sheet of paper placed on the windowsill.

The ejected dust consisted of fine-grained, volatile tephra, some of which settled near the vent and on the glacier, but the bulk of which rose into the air. However, experts assured the public that the gases released into the atmosphere do not pose a serious threat to humans.

Only almost a month after the events began, the media of all countries reported that the Eyjafjallajokull volcano had finally ceased its activity. The 2010 eruption was remembered primarily not for its uniqueness, because similar things happen on earth all the time, but for the increased attention to this event in the news and newspapers.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, whose photos appeared on the covers of many publications seven years ago, has a special history. Such a complex name comes from combining three words at once, meaning mountain, glacier and island. And in fact, the name belongs to the glacier, under which the volcano was located for a long time. In connection with the events of 2010, linguists became interested in the origin and meaning of the toponym different countries trying to determine exact value words.

After the hype surrounding the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption subsided, the scientific world started talking about another possible problem, which can lead to much greater consequences. We are talking about Mount Katla, which is located just 12 km from the epicenter of the underground explosion in 2010. Research by geophysicists confirms that each previous activity of Eyjafjallajokull preceded the eruption of the much more powerful and destructive volcano Katla. Therefore, scientists have suggested that the events of seven years ago may turn out to be the beginning of a more grandiose catastrophe in the future.

There are still many places in this region where nature can bring surprises. So, a few hundred kilometers away is the only active volcano in Norway. Eyjafjallajökull and Berenberg (translated as “Bear Mountain”) are similar in structure and physical characteristics. The northernmost volcano in the world was also considered extinct for a long time, but in 1985 a strong eruption was recorded.

Reflection in culture

Today, the story of seven years ago on the distant island of Iceland has been somewhat forgotten, but at the time this event made a strong impression on many, because not every day in live you can see a real volcano erupting. Society reacted differently to the event. Videos appeared on the Internet in which people tried to pronounce the unusual name, and people wrote jokes on this topic.

National Geographic Channel filmed documentary, which tells about the events of the spring of 2010, and the plots of some feature films are connected with the Icelandic volcano, for example, the French film “Volcano of Passions” and some episodes of the American-made film “The Walter Mitty Story”.

Perhaps the sweetest note to the craze for the Icelandic natural phenomenon was brought by a native of this country, singer Elisa Geirsdottir Newman. She composed a playful song about Eyjafjallajökull, which helps people learn how to pronounce the exotic name correctly.

For many people, the concept of “volcano” is associated with a high mountain, from the top of which a fountain of gas, ash and flame bursts into the sky, and the slopes are filled with hot lava. Irish volcanoes bear little resemblance to classical ones. The vast majority of them are not impressive in height. Only a few have “stepped over” the 2 km mark, the rest stay within 1-1.5 km, and many even less. For example, Hverfjall, Eldfell, Surtsey barely reach a few hundred meters in height, more reminiscent of ordinary hills. But these seemingly peaceful and safe creations of Mother Nature can in reality bring no less trouble than the famous Etna or Vesuvius. We invite you to get to know them better, and let's start with their homeland.

Harsh Island

Nature loves to give surprises. For example, she created the island of Iceland by raising part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge above the ocean, precisely at the site of a huge tectonic suture. One of which is the foundation of Eurasia, and the second - North America, are still gradually diverging, thereby prompting Icelandic volcanoes to become active. Small and large eruptions occur here approximately every 4-6 years.

The climate of Iceland, given its proximity to the Arctic Circle, can be called mild. However, there are no warm summers here. But severe winters are also rare, but there is a lot of precipitation. It would seem that these are unusually favorable conditions for various types of vegetation, which should flourish here with fantastic force. But in reality, 3/4 of the island’s territory is a rocky plateau, here and there covered with mosses and rare herbs. In addition, of the 103,000 square km, about 12,000 are occupied by glaciers. This is the natural landscape that surrounds Icelandic volcanoes and adorns their slopes. In addition to those visible to the eye, there are many volcanoes around the island, hidden by a layer of icy ocean waters. All together there are almost one and a half hundred of them, among which 26 are active.

Geological features

The overwhelming majority of Icelandic volcanoes are shield volcanoes in shape. They are formed by liquid lava, repeatedly poured onto the surface from the bowels of the Earth. Such mountain formations have the appearance of a convex shield with fairly gentle slopes. Their peaks are crowned by craters, and more often by so-called calderas, which are huge basins with a more or less flat bottom and steep walls. The diameter of the calderas is measured in kilometers, and the height of the walls is measured in hundreds of meters. Shield volcanoes tend to overlap due to lava pouring out of them. As a result, an extensive volcanic shield is formed, as is observed on the island of Iceland. They are composed mainly of basalt rocks, which in a molten state spread like water.

In addition to shield volcanoes, Iceland has stratovolcanoes. These have the shape of a cone with steeper slopes, since the lava erupting from them is viscous and hardens quickly, without having time to spread over many kilometers. A striking example of this type of formation is the famous volcano of Iceland Hekla or, for example, Askja.

Based on their location, they distinguish between terrestrial, underwater and subglacial mountain formations, and based on their “life activity” they distinguish between dormant and active ones. In addition, there are many small mud volcanoes that erupt not lava, but gases and mud.

"Gateway to Hell"

This is the name given to a volcano in the south of Iceland called Hekla. It is considered one of the most active, as eruptions occur here almost every 50 years. The last time this happened was at the end of February 2000. Hekla looks like a majestic white cone reaching into the sky. In shape it is a stratovolcano, and by its nature it is part of a mountain range that stretches for 40 km. It is all restless, but shows the highest activity in the area of ​​the Heklugya fissure, 5500 m long, belonging to Hekla. From Icelandic this word can be translated as “hood and cloak.” This was due to the fact that its top is often covered with clouds. Now the slopes of Hekla are practically lifeless, but once upon a time trees and shrubs grew on them, and grass grew wild. Not long ago, the country began work to restore fauna on this volcano, mainly willows and birches.

Iceland has suffered more than once from seismic activity in this area. The Hekla volcano (according to scientists) has been actively spitting lava onto the surface of the Earth for 6,600 years. Studying volcanic layers, seismologists found that the strongest eruption here occurred between 950 and 1150. BC. Based on the amount of ash emitted into the atmosphere at that time, it was given 5 points out of 7 possible. The power of the eruption was such that the air temperature throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere of the Earth dropped for several years. The oldest documented eruption on Hekla occurred in 1104, and the longest - in 1947. It lasted for more than a year. In general, all eruptions on Hekla are unique, and all are different. There is only one pattern here - the longer this volcano sleeps, the more violent it becomes later.

Askja

This volcano, located in the eastern part of the island, in the Vatnajökull National Park, named after the huge glacier (the largest in Iceland and the third largest in the world) is considered one of the most “tourist” and most picturesque. Askja is located at its northern edge and is not covered with ice. It rises 1510 meters above the plateau and is famous for its lakes - large Eskjuvati and small Viti, which appeared in the caldera thanks to the Askja eruption in 1875. With a depth of about 220 meters, Eskewatee is considered the deepest lake in the country. Viti is much shallower - only up to 7 meters deep. It attracts hundreds of tourists with the unusual milky blue color of the water and the fact that its temperature can rise to +60 degrees Celsius and never drops below +20 degrees. The Viti mirror is almost perfectly round, and the banks are very high (from 50 m) and steep. The angle of their slopes exceeds 45 degrees. Translated from Icelandic, “Viti” means “hell”, which is facilitated by the constantly present smell of sulfur. The Icelandic volcano Askja last erupted in 1961, and since then it has been dormant, although it is considered active. This does not frighten tourists at all, who visit Askew so actively that they even laid 2 tourist routes here, and a campsite was built 8 km from the caldera dish.

Bourdarbunga

The name of the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga is often shortened to Bárðarbunga. It arose from the name Baurdur. This was the name of one of the ancient settlers of the island, who apparently lived in these places, since in translation from Icelandic “Baurdarbunga” means “hill of Baurdur”. Now it is deserted and deserted, only hunters and tourists wander here, and even then only in the summer. The volcano is Askja's neighbor, but is located a little further south, just under the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier. This is a relatively high (2009 meters) stratovolcano, periodically “delighting” with its eruptions. One of the largest, receiving 6 points, happened in 1477.

The latest “outburst” of the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga has frayed the nerves of the island’s residents, especially airline workers. In 1910 there was an eruption here, but not very strong, after which the mountain became quiet. And now, almost a hundred years later, namely in 2007, seismologists again noticed its activity, which was gradually increasing. The maximum was expected to be reached any minute.

Eruption

At the beginning of the summer of 2014, instruments recorded significant movements of magma in the Bardarbunga chamber. On August 17, tremors with a magnitude of 3.8 occurred in the area where the volcano is located, and on the 18th their magnitude increased to 4.5. An urgent evacuation of residents of nearby villages and tourists was carried out, some roads were blocked, and a code yellow was announced for airlines. The Icelandic volcano Bárdarbunga began to erupt on the 23rd. The color of the code was immediately changed to red, and all flights over this area were banned. Although tremors with a magnitude of 4.9-5.5 continued, there was no particular danger for airliners, and by evening the code color was changed to orange. On the 29th magma appeared. It splashed out of the crater of the volcano and spread in the direction of Askya, going beyond the glacier. The color code was raised back to red, stopping all flights over the volcano, making operations much more difficult for airlines. Since the magma spread quite peacefully, by the evening of the 29th the color code was again reduced to orange. And on August 31, at 7 a.m., magma burst out with renewed vigor from a previously formed fault. The width of its stream reached 1 km, and the length - 3 km. The code turned red again, and in the evening it dropped back to orange. In this spirit, the eruption lasted until the end of February 2015, after which the volcano began to fall asleep. After 16 days, tourists poured here again.

Eyjafjallajökull

Only 0.005% of earthlings can correctly pronounce this name of the Icelandic volcano. Eyjafjallajökull is something close to the “true” in the Russian version. Although this volcano is located in the south of the island (125 km from Reykjavik), it was entirely covered by a glacier, which was given the same complex name. The glacier's area is more than 100 square km. At its top is the source of the Skogau River, and just below the waterfalls Skógafoss and Kvernyvoss, attractive to tourists, fall. A more or less significant eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull occurred in 1821. And although it lasted almost 13 months, it did not cause any problems other than the melting of the glacier, since its intensity did not exceed 2 points. This volcano was considered so reliable that the village of Skougar was even founded on its southern tip. And suddenly, in March 2010, Eyjafjallajökull woke up again. A 500-meter fault appeared in its eastern part, from which clouds of ash rose into the air. It was all over by the beginning of May. This time the intensity of the eruption reached 4 points. Now the slopes of the volcano are covered not with ice, but with green vegetation. Many people are interested in which Icelandic city is closest to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Here we should mention the village of Skógar, which has as many as 25 inhabitants. Next comes the village of Holt, then Hvolsvulur and the town of Selfoss, located about 50 km from the mountain.

Katla

This volcano is located just 20 km from Eyjafjallajökull and is more restless. Its height is 1512 meters, and the frequency of eruptions is from 40 years. Since Katla is partly covered by the Myrdalsjökull glacier, its activity is fraught with melting ice and floods, which happened in 1755, and in 1918, and in 2011. Moreover, the last time it was so large-scale that it demolished the bridge on the Mulakvisl River and destroyed the highway. Scientists have absolutely established that the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull every time is an impetus for the activity of Katla. In any case, this pattern has been observed since 920.

Surtsey

The active volcanoes in Iceland are extremely beneficial to Icelanders. They help enrich the country, and the geysers located in their area are used to heat houses, greenhouses, and swimming pools. But that's not all. Volcanoes in Iceland increase the country's territory! The last time this happened was in November 1963. Then, after the eruption of underwater volcanoes, a new piece of land appeared off the southwestern coast of the island, called Surtsey. It has become a unique reserve where scientists track the emergence of life. At first completely lifeless, Surtsey now boasts not only mosses and lichens, but even flowers and bushes in which birds have begun to nest. Nowadays gulls, swans, auks, petrels, puffins and others are observed here. The height of Surtsey is 154 meters, the area is 1.5 square meters. km, and it is still growing. It is part of the Vestmannaeyjar chain of underwater volcanoes.

Esya

This extinct volcano is famous for the fact that the capital of the state, Reykjavik, is located at its foot. It’s hard to say when the Icelandic volcano Esja last erupted, and no one cares. The volcano, the top of which is visible from almost anywhere in the city, is loved by all its residents and extremely popular among tourists, climbers and all connoisseurs of the harsh beauties of nature. The mountain range of which Esja is part begins at the fjord above the capital and extends to Thingvellir National Park. The height of the volcano is about 900 meters, and its slopes, covered with bushes and flowers, are unusually picturesque.

Lucky

This shield volcano is the highlight of the Skaftafell National Park. It is located near a town with the simple name Kirkubeyarklaustur. Laki is part of a 25 km long chain of Icelandic volcanoes consisting of 115 craters. The Katla and Grimsvotn volcanoes are also links in this chain. The height of their craters is generally small, about 800-900 meters. The Laki crater is located somewhere in the middle between the glaciers - the huge Vatnajökull and the relatively small Mýrdalsjökull. It is considered functional, but has not caused problems for over 200 years.

Grimsvotn

This volcano is the top of the chain that includes Laki. Nobody knows its exact height. Some believe it is only 970 meters, others call the figure 1725 meters. The dimensions of the crater are also difficult to determine, since after each eruption they increase significantly. The word "Grimsvotn" means "dark waters" in Icelandic. It probably arose because after volcanic eruptions, some part of the Vatnajökull glacier that covers it melts. Grimsvotn is considered almost the most active on the peninsula, as it becomes active every 3-10 years. The last time this happened was in 2011, on May 21. Smoke and ash erupting from its crater then rose 20 km into the sky. Many flights were canceled not only in Iceland, but also in Britain, Norway, Denmark, Scotland and even Germany.

Fatal eruption

Lucky is quiet and calm at the moment. He rages rarely, but, as they say, accurately. In 1783, the once again awakened volcano in Iceland - Laki - united the devilish force with its neighbor Grimsvotn and a boiling stream of lava fell on the surrounding area. The length exceeded 130 km. It, sweeping away everything in its path, spilled over an area of ​​565 km 2 . At the same time, poisonous fumes of fluorine and sulfur swirled in the air, like in hell. As a result, thousands of animals died, almost all the birds and fish in the area. From high temperatures The ice began to melt, their waters flooded everything that had not burned. killed 1/5 of the country's inhabitants, and the luminous fog, which was observed all summer even in America, lowered the temperature throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere of the planet, causing famine in many countries. This eruption is considered the most destructive in the 1000-year history of the Earth.

Erayvajökull

These are the Icelandic volcanoes. I would like to finish our story with a story about Eraivajökull, the largest on the island. It is on it that the highest point in Iceland is located - the peak of Hvannadalshnukur. The volcano is located in the Skaftafell nature reserve. The height of this giant is 2119 meters, its caldera is not round, like most other similar formations, but rectangular with sides of 4 and 5 km. Erayvajökull is considered active, but its last eruption ended in May 1828, and it no longer bothers anyone - it stands covered in ice and delights with its harsh beauty.

Iceland is an ice country. The country received this second name due to its geographical location; Iceland was lost in the Atlantic between Greenland and Norway, a little short of the Arctic Circle. Most of Iceland is a volcanic plateau rising no higher than 2000 meters above sea level. Thanks to this, the island is filled with active volcanoes, geothermal springs, lava fields and ice.

The entire central part of the island is occupied by volcanoes, deserts and is not suitable for life. Only one quarter of the entire territory of the country (Iceland ranks 18th in terms of area in the world among the islands - 103 thousand sq. km) is inhabited by people. These are mainly coastal areas and valleys.

Iceland is located at the junction of two lithospheric plates: the Eurasian and North American. The island has one of the highest volcanic activities in the whole world. There are more than a hundred volcanoes in Iceland, and 25 of them have been active in the past thousand years. The most popular Icelandic volcanoes are Laki and Hekla, which have almost a hundred craters.

In this article we will tell you about the most popular volcanoes in Iceland. In addition to the volcanoes listed below, there are many others worthy of attention. But these, in our opinion, are the most interesting and significant.

Hekla Volcano is the most famous and most active volcano in Iceland, its importance for Iceland is the same as the importance of the famous Fuji for Japan. In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Iceland called it nothing more than “The Gate to Hell.” Over the past 6,600 years, Hekla has been active, which was found out during the study of the volcano and its ash deposits. The last eruption of Hekla was recorded in 2000.

Hekla is a very unpredictable volcano. Its eruptions can be very diverse. Therefore, it is very difficult for volcanologists to predict new bursts of its activity. Each new eruption of the Hekla volcano is different from the previous one, one can last only a few weeks or only ten days, while another can last for months or even years (such as the Hekla eruption, which began on March 29, 1947 and ended only in April 1948 .). What is clear is that the longer Hekla remains calm, the stronger his eruption will be.

If we touch on the prehistoric eruptions of Hekla, the strongest of them were in 1159 BC and in 950 BC. These were very powerful eruptions, volcanic rocks thrown out by Hekla, scattered over 7.3 km, on the scale of volcanic activity the eruptions were assigned 5-point levels of difficulty. The power of these eruptions was quite enough to create the effect of a volcanic winter with a decrease in the temperature of the northern hemisphere by several degrees, lasting several years.

Today, the Icelandic Department of Population Protection has received information about the possible awakening of Hekla. This was evidenced by the movements of air masses recorded in the southern part of the country. So far the situation is not causing much concern. But local residents and tourists are strongly advised not to approach the awakening volcano.

Hekla volcano is one of the highest in Iceland. Its height is 1488 meters.

Another famous volcano in Iceland is Laki. Laki is a shield volcano, as are most of the volcanoes in Iceland. This is a giant, twenty-five kilometer crack and a volcanic field with many craters (today, scientists count more than 110 - 115 craters).

The Laki volcano is located in the Skaftafell nature park, which has joined the National Park Vatnajökull. On average, the height of numerous Laki craters is no more than 80 - 90 meters above the level of the basalt surface, but there are also 800 meter volcanic cones. Laki is part of a large volcanic system located within the Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers.

Laki Volcano is a typical representative of the restless volcanoes of Iceland. Its last eruption caused many disasters not only in Iceland, but throughout the World. The destructive eruption of the Laki volcano was recorded in 1783-1784. Then the Laki volcano erupted along with neighboring volcanoes for 8 months. During this time, lava flows spread over more than 130 kilometers, forming lava fields behind them. The eruption was classified as magnitude six.

As a result of the eruption of the Laki volcano, huge masses of toxic gases were released into the air. Which killed half the livestock in Iceland and almost a quarter of its population. The climate of Iceland has undergone significant changes, glaciers have melted and floods have occurred. The volcanic winter effect caused by the Icelandic volcanic eruption led to severe droughts in Japan and India, and North America experienced the coldest winter in its history. The consequences of the eruption of Laki Volcano in North Africa were just as severe.

Ash from the Iceland eruption was in the air over almost half of Eurasia. According to experts, a total of about 6 million people died due to the Laki eruption.

Here is another troubled representative of Icelandic volcanoes. It is located in the southern part of Iceland and is 1725 meters high. The volcano's crater changes its size depending on the power of the eruption. So, for example, in 1989 its length was approximately 200 meters, and during the 1998 eruption it was more than 500 meters.

Grímsvötn volcano erupts every 3-10 years. Over the past century, about 20 major eruptions of this volcano have been recorded. In the recent past, Grímsvötn had major eruptions in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011. In 1996, the volcano erupted beneath the ice, causing extensive glacier melt and flooding. The flow from the melting glacier had a water flow rate of approximately 200,000 - 300,000 cubic meters per second. For comparison, I will say that water consumption in the Amazon is the most deep river in the world, equal to 220,000 cubic meters per second.

The last time Grimsvotn announced himself was on May 21, 2011. Then clouds of ash, smoke and steam were thrown into the air, rising almost 20 kilometers. The result of this eruption was a temporary cessation of air traffic with Iceland, and then partially with Great Britain and Germany. Some flights were canceled in Norway and Denmark.

Volcano Askja

The center of Iceland is almost uninhabited, there are no roads or trails. The entire surface there is covered with lava piles, glaciers, black sands and geothermal springs bursting to the surface. When visiting this region you have to rely solely on your own strength and a navigator. Because of this, this land of ice and fire is rarely visited by tourists, but in vain!

Since it is in this place that another fire-breathing dragon of the icy land is located - the Askja volcano. You can find the volcano on the Oudaudahröin lava plateau. Two lakes formed in the volcano’s caldera, one of them is Öskjuvatn, the largest in Iceland. It never freezes completely. Only from the west is it covered with ice. Descent to the bluish waters of the volcanic lake is possible only from the eastern side, where you can swim. The second lake is Viti, small. Its diameter is only 100 meters. And it gives off a sulfurous smell.

Certainly, best time for a trip to the Askja volcano and the pearl of the Icelandic lakes - Öskjuvatn, summer, because the path to the volcano is not close.

Askja Volcano is one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Iceland. Its height is 1510 meters. The volcano is still active. The lake located in its crater is becoming deeper. The last full eruption of Askja was recorded in 1961.

The walk around the largest of the lakes, located in the crater of the Askja volcano, is quite long. The trail is very narrow and surrounds the perfectly round shapes of the lake. Its length is approximately 8 kilometers. It will be useful for tourists to remember that they should not walk along the trail if there is even the slightest wind at the top. Since the path is very narrow and the edges of the crater are quite steep.

The Katla volcano, located in the southern part of Iceland slightly higher than the Askja volcano, its height is about 1512 meters. The Katla caldera is 10 meters in diameter. And for you, the volcano lies under the southeastern edge of the Myrdalsjökull glacier.

The frequency of Katla activity is from 40 to 80 years. The previous powerful surge of its activity dates back to 1918, which gives many scientists cause for concern.

Since the 10th century, Katla has erupted on a large scale 14 times. Moreover, during its eruptions, intense melting of the glacier occurred, resulting in the formation of powerful flows of water. For example, the eruption of 1755 led to the formation of a powerful flow of water with a water consumption of 200,000 - 400,000 cubic meters per second and meltwater flooded nearby areas.

Today Katla is becoming active again. The level of the magma layer in Katla is rising. Moreover, the last major eruption was almost a century ago, and if we take into account the periodicity of Katla’s eruptions (no more than 80 years), then the increasing activity of the volcano becomes clear. According to scientists, the consequences of a possible eruption could be very large: melting glaciers and floods in Iceland, as well as the cessation of communication with the country by air lines.

The eruptions of Katla are associated with periods of activity of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, located 20 kilometers away. For more than 1000 years, the Katla eruption was triggered by the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. The first such connection was identified during the eruption of Katla in 920. Further, a similar mechanism launched Katla in 1612 and 1821-1823.

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

Eyjafjallajökull is the name of one of the Icelandic glaciers, located in the southern part of the country, 125 kilometers from the capital of Iceland - Reykjavik. The Eyjafjallajökull glacier is adjacent to the Myrdalsjökull glacier. Beneath these glaciers there is a cone-shaped, shield volcano without its own name. Therefore, it is often called by the name of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano is one of the most recently erupted volcanoes in Iceland. The height of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is 1666 meters. The dimensions of its crater are 3-4 kilometers. Until 2010, the last eruption of the volcano, its crater was covered with a glacier cap.

The eruption history of Eyjafjallajökull contains information about a major volcanic eruption in 1821 - 1823. Then, for more than 12 months (from December 19, 1821 to January 1, 1823), the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted. Together with the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, its close neighbor Katla erupted. The eruption was assigned a level of two on the scale of volcanic activity.

After almost two hundred years, the volcano slept. And I woke up quite recently - March 20, 2010. In April 2010, due to the increasing rate of eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, the airspace over part of Europe was blocked from April 16 to 20. Also, the flight restrictions were partially maintained in May. This eruption was awarded four points.

In April 2013, the formidable volcano, which caused many Europeans to panic three years ago, again gave alarm signals about its awakening.

In the spring of 2010, a volcanic eruption began in Iceland. A huge cloud of ash was released into the atmosphere, causing the airspace of much of the continent to be closed and many flights to be cancelled. Photos of the grand spectacle in a huge number went around the Internet, and the name of the volcano - Eyjafjallajokull (translated as “Island of Mountain Glaciers”) gave rise to many jokes (although mostly in printed form, it’s not so easy to pronounce this word).

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Photo of the spectacle

People all over the world admire the extraordinary spectacle - some live, some in the photo.

1. Lava erupts from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano amid lightning on April 17. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

2. The volcano near the southern glacier Eyjafjallajokull sends ash into the air at sunset on April 16. Thick clouds of volcanic ash blanketed parts of the Icelandic countryside and an invisible plume of sand and dust blanketed Europe, clearing the skies of planes and sending hundreds of thousands of people scrambling to find hotel rooms, train tickets and taxis. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti)

3. A car drives along a road strewn with volcanic ash near Kirkjubæjärklaustur. (AP Photo/Omar Oskarsson)

4. Chunks of ice from a glacier lie in front of an erupting volcano near Eyjafjallajokull on April 17. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

5. An airplane flies past a column of smoke and ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on April 17. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

6. Eyjafjallajokull volcano in all its splendor. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti)

8. Ash and a column of dust and dirt erupts from the crater of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. (AP Photo/Arnar Thorisson/Helicopter.is)

9. An ash plume stretches from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano to the south over the northern part Atlantic Ocean. The image was taken from a satellite on April 17. A volcano in Iceland spewed another batch of ash and smoke on April 19, but the ash cloud that plunged airlines and tour operators across Europe into chaos fell to a height of 2 km. (REUTERS/NERC Satellite Receiving Station, Dundee University, Scotland)

10. Lava and lightning illuminate the crater of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

11. The first of three photographs taken by Olivier Vandeginste 25 km from the crater of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on April 18. The photo was taken with a 15 second exposure. (Olivier Vandeginste)

12. Second photo by Olivier Vandeginste, taken 25 km from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. In this 168-second exposure photo, the ash pillars are illuminated from within by numerous lightning bolts. (Olivier Vandeginste)

13. Third photo by Olivier Vandeginste. Lightning and hot lava illuminate parts of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The photo was taken with a 30-second exposure. (Olivier Vandeginste)

14. This natural-color satellite image shows lava fountains and flows, a volcanic plume and steam from evaporating snow. The image was taken on March 24 by the ALI instrument on board the Earth Observing-1 satellite. Lava fountains (orange-red) are practically invisible through the camera’s lens with a resolution of 10 meters. The cinder cone surrounding the fissure is black, as is the lava flowing to the northeast. White volcanic gases and lava rise from the fissure, and where the lava meets the snow, steam rises into the air. (The bright green stripe along the edge of the lava flow is a distortion from the sensor). (NASA's Earth Observatory/Robert Simmon)

15. Tourists gather to watch the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupt with lava on March 27. On the morning of April 14, more than 800 people were evacuated in the area of ​​the awakened volcano. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

16. People gather to watch the lava flow of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on March 27. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

18. Steam and hot gases rise above lava from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on April 3. (Ulrich Latzenhofer / CC BY-SA)

19. A farmer took a photograph of the volcano shortly after it erupted. (Zuma Press).

20. Since many of Iceland's volcanoes are covered by glaciers, they often flood them from below. The tongues of glaciers break from their places, releasing millions of tons of water and ice that destroy everything in their path.

21. Photo of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano from space. It has three craters ranging in size from 200 to 500 meters in diameter.

A few more photos.

Jokes and anecdotes

Written in a mixture of Icelandic and Norwegian. “Put 30 billion Euros in the dumpster outside the Icelandic embassy tonight, then we'll shut down the volcano! Don't call the police."

The mystery of the name

In response to Iceland's actions, Greenland begins to push into the ocean
icebergs.

New curse word: “Eyafjallajökull to you all over Europe!”

— Did you hear that Eyjafjallajökull has come to life?
“Are you sure it’s not Hvannadalsnukur?”
— Of course, Hvannadalsnukur is near Kaulvafellsstaður itself, and Eyjafjallajokull is closer to Vestmannaeyjar if you go towards Snæfellsjokull.
- Thank God, otherwise I have relatives in Brynholeskirkja!
If you read this dialogue out loud without hesitation, then you are an Icelander.

Tongue twister: “Eyafjallajökull ejaculated, ejaculated, but did not ejaculate.”

According to Mayan predictions, until all Europeans learn the word “Eyjafjaldayökull”, the volcano will not stop erupting. If you find it difficult to pronounce this, I suggest you remember the phrase: “Hey, I’m drunk, fuck off with it.”

You and I sat by the window, eating apple strudel. We both can't sleep anymore because Eyafjallajokull.

“Eyjafjallajokull” - whatever you call the boat, that’s how it will float.

The presenters of news programs are in quiet horror: according to rumors,
eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano may soon include
pyroclastic flows from the Mexican mountain Popocatépetl.